What a personalized greeting card is
A personalized greeting card carries text or images chosen by the buyer: a name, a photo, a date, or a message. Print runs start at one card. The buyer edits a template or uploads a file, and a printer produces the card on card stock.
Greeting Card Association figures put US card purchases near 6.5 billion cards a year. Christmas is the largest sending holiday, at about 1.6 billion cards. Valentine's Day ranks second, at about 145 million cards.
Standard card sizes
- A2: 4.25 x 5.5 in (108 x 140 mm).
- A6: 4.5 x 6.25 in (114 x 159 mm).
- A7: 5 x 7 in (127 x 178 mm). The common photo card size.
- Square: 5 x 5 in or 6 x 6 in.
The card size sets the envelope size. An A7 card needs an A7 envelope. Square envelopes cost more to mail in the US.
Paper and finish
Most custom cards use 100 lb to 120 lb cover stock, about 270 to 325 gsm. Matte stock takes pen ink and dries fast. Gloss stock holds photo color. Extra passes include foil stamping, letterpress, embossing, and die cutting. FSC certification tracks paper fiber from certified forests through the supply chain to the printer.
Printing methods
Digital toner presses handle short runs and variable data, so each card in one batch can hold a different name. Inkjet suits photo-heavy designs. Offset lithography needs larger runs, often 250 cards or more, and lowers the unit price at that volume. Foil and letterpress are separate passes on top of the base print.
Mailing rules in the US
USPS letter rules apply to cards sent by mail. Keep the envelope at or below 6.125 x 11.5 in and 0.25 in thick. The letter weight limit is 3.5 oz. Square envelopes and rigid or thick items take a nonmachinable surcharge. Postage prices change, so check the current First-Class Mail rate before a large send.
Turnaround and cost
Ask the printer for three numbers: unit price at your quantity, production days, and shipping days. Foil, letterpress, and die-cut cards add passes, and each pass adds days. Rush shipping moves the delivery date, not the press schedule.
Checks before you order
- Trim size matches the envelope size.
- Bleed is 0.125 in on all four sides.
- Images are 300 ppi at final print size.
- Files are CMYK, not RGB, for print.
- Names, dates, and spelling read by a second person.